BSF troops retaliated and intermittent firing of small arms continued from both sides till late in the night
An Indian boy walks inside his house damaged in the Oct. 7 firing between Indian and Pakistan at the border area of Treava village in Arnia sector, in Jammu, India, Saturday. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: After a brief lull of about 40 hours, Pakistan on Saturday violated ceasefire twice along the international border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Jammu district, drawing strong retaliation from India.
“Flat trajectory weaponry fire came at 8.10 pm in our area of operation in three border outposts along the international border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu district tonight,” a BSF spokesman said. He said that the BSF troops retaliated and intermittent firing of small arms continued from both sides till late in the night. The last instance of firing by Pakistan was along the 192-km international border (IB) when its Rangers targeted four BSF border outposts in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district for 20 minutes on Thursday night.
“There has been unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Poonch at about 12.35 pm using small arms and mortars. It is being appropriately respo-nded to,” Army sources said in New Delhi. Indian troops guarding the LoC took positions and retaliated.
The Pakistanis are also smarting from the extensive damage on their side after Indian security forces had retaliated massively along the IB. Sources said Pakistan may also be wanting to give the impression that they have not been cowed down by the heavy Indian retaliation in the past few days.
The IB has witnessed heavy firing from October 1 to 9 that has left eight dead and 90 people injured, including 13 securitymen on the Indian side. Besides, over 32,000 people have fled from their border homes, leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the International Border.
Thousands of people had fled their villages on the Pakistani side as well. Speculation had been rife that India may have earlier positioned heavy artillery near the border and kept its frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft in readiness to prepare for any dramatic escalation by the Pakistani Army, thereby sending a strong message.
The IB has witnessed heavy firing from October 1 to 9 that has left eight dead and 90 people injured, including 13 securitymen on the Indian side. Besides, over 32,000 people have fled from their border homes, leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the IB.
Thousands of people had fled their villages on the Pakistani side as well. After nine days of heavy mortar shelling and gunfire by Pakistan and massive retaliation by India that shook the Pakistani Army and Rangers, the firing along the IB in Jammu
had subsided on Friday, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said Pakistan has been taught a "befitting lesson" and that the neighbouring country "will not dare to repeat it".
The ministry of external affairs had also said on Friday that "it is for Pakistan to escalate or de-escalate" and that "we (India) will not talk (to Pakistan) out of (any) fear but we have no fear of talks".
Firing was last reported from the Pakistani side at 8 pm on Thursday on the IB followed again by heavy Indian retaliation. Speculation had been rife that India may have earlier positioned heavy artillery near the border and kept its frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft in readiness to prepare for any dramatic escalation by the Pakistani Army, thereby sending a strong message.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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